Less than 24 hours after my previous post on this site, where I (again) pointed out that Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” was a “dog-whistle” (I didn’t use that exact term, but that was the intention) for “Make America White Again,” the very part of Trump’s “base” he won’t be able to run away from held a “White Nationalist” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia which ended in violence. Are you surprised? One person was killed and close to 20 injured as a “White Nationalist” drove a car into a crowd of people protesting the gathering of a group that consisted of members affiliated with the KKK, Aryan nation, Skinheads, neo-nazi’s, and others who make up the so-called “Alt Right” which Trump brought to life during the Obama years via his leading the “Birther” movement. These groups are the part of his base “locked up” when Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, Kellyanne Conway, Sebastian Gorca, and, from the outside, Richard Spencer essentially took over Trump’s campaign. (no pun intended)
We’re talking about those in America who were “under the rocks” until America chose Barack Obama as president in 2008. Within a couple years the “tea party” was spawned and along the same lines we had Donald Trump leading the claims that Obama couldn’t be president because he was born in Kenya. (Obviously, just another in a long line of LIES coming from Trump – and, from what I can tell the wishes of the others who see America turning “color” and don’t like what they’re seeing) Unfortunately, media outlets like Fox “news” have very subtly enabled the “legitimizing” of people involved in this movement – obviously, Trump at the forefront – and, now we have a very serious problem in America. I’ve been writing about the logical conclusion of what will happen with this movement should Trump – their hero – be exposed for colluding with the Russians or other “issues” bound to be uncovered as Robert Mueller delves into Trump’s financial dealings – including his mysteriously never ending audited tax returns.
Fox and the others who “report news” from the “right” are already stoking the dark side of these groups in regards to the ongoing investigations. First, it was “there’s no collusion,” to then there was “Collusion isn’t a crime,” to Mueller has conflicts of interest, to “Investigating the finances is a ‘red line,'” to who knows where – the bottom line is these people could care less if Trump colluded with the Russians to win the election or if he’s “laundered” money for Russians. All they care about is they FINALLY have “one of them” as president. They have been energized and they will continue to push their racist beliefs as far into the “mainstream” as “we the people” will allow. Richard Spencer and Milo Yiannopoulos, two compatriots of Bannon, Miller, and Gorca are busy spreading the message of White Nationalism around the country at various college campuses – usually, messages that result in MAJOR conflict or turmoil. Make no mistake, this is a portion of Trump’s “base” he can’t succeed without.
Obviously, his association with this movement is the reason why Trump came out with a very measured (written by Bannon?) “milk toast” condemnation of the violence in Charlottesville this past weekend. Trump blamed the violence on “many sides.” Of course, in this instance, that was another in a long line of STUPID remarks coming from Trump since he took the oath of office, but what was he supposed to do? Even his “measured” tone didn’t sit well with David Duke, former head of the KKK – who reminded Trump of who voted him into office after listening to Trump’s remarks – remarks which made no one happy. The bottom line is that Trump will not publicly associate himself with the likes of Duke – but, he and his surrogates find ways to let them know they have a friend in the “White House.”
Trust me, those in the “Alt Right” know they’ve got more than one “friend” in the “White House.” It’s been no secret to me why Bannon, Miller, Gorca, and Conway are still “advisers” to Trump – he would enrage a significant portion of his “base” if he got rid of any of them. I mean, Miller, earlier in the year, while speaking on the so-called “Sunday morning ‘news’ shows” (like Meet the Press, Face the Nation, etc.) was seen flashing the sign of White Supremacists and little notice was taken – this was done, obviously, on national TV. (his supporters claimed he was just “fixing his tie”) And, Conway texting a White Nationalist during a press briefing drew but a slight notice from anyone in the “liberal media.”
Just as our liberal media seemed timid about characterizing the racism President Obama endured over and over during his two terms in office for what it was, it appears they’re doing the same thing (in reverse) with Trump and his associates. Trump’s racist behavior is no secret, Bannon was the head of Breitbart – the “home” of the “Alt Right” – Gorca has been seen wearing a pin on his suit from a neo-nazi group in Europe, and I’ve already mentioned Miller flashing the White power hand signal on national TV – at some point we’re going to have to be real about who’s inhabiting the “White House.” Maybe, what happened this weekend in Charlottesville will FORCE America’s media AND “we the people” (along with, hopefully, republicans in Congress) to understand what is really happening to our nation.
Trump’s followers use the phrase “take our country back” – well, while up until now I’ve never considered that phrase anything more than bloviating – it’s starting to ring true with me. If “we the people” are going to “take our country back,” Trump needs to be impeached as a first step. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of Mike Pense, but in my naive optimistic mind I’m hopeful he has no affiliation – other than being forced to do so via his position in Trump’s administration – whatsoever with the “Alt Right.” The reality is that if Trump is impeached Pense would become president. I’ve watched him closely during Trump’s first 7 months in office and he’s proved to be a willing LIAR for Trump – almost putting the metaphor of “puppy dog” in my mind as I watch him doing Trump’s bidding on MANY occasions. However, we can hope the “grass is greener on the other side of the fence.”
The next election is 2018 and if Americans don’t wake up to the reality of what’s happening to our nation we deserve the results. Trump has gained the attention of those around the world who are wondering what on earth is going on in America. It is up to “we the people” to respond to Trump’s agenda in the most powerful of ways – at the BALLOT box! And, we need to brace ourselves because these people who support Trump will not take him being impeached lightly – there’s a good chance there could be a significant, and very negative, response to Trump being ousted from office. The evidence of that was very clear in Charlottesville this weekend.
I’m anticipating the republicans will continue enabling Trump because they understand, and FEAR, the backlash that would happen if they “do the right thing.” Personally, I believe I’m not the only INDEPENDENT American voter who is looking for republicans with the COURAGE to stand up and lead the Congress in doing what’s RIGHT. I “get” they’re waiting for the conclusion of Mueller’s investigation – but, there’s so much EVIDENCE of incompetence, arrogance to the laws (emoluments clause of constitution), never ending LIES to “we the people,” delusional behavior, and the reality that Trump is unqualified to lead this country in the face of the international issues we’re facing. The DAMAGE he’s doing could pale to the DAMAGE he might still do – many of us are wondering how much DAMAGE is acceptable to republicans in Congress? Will it take a national DISASTER to get their attention?
At this point – in the case of a disaster or a national emergency – NO ONE will believe a word that comes from Trump’s mouth. He has LOST any credibility anyone might have given him after he was sworn in – as if he was capable of “learning on the job – because of the near CONSTANT LYING. In fact, the MASSIVE amounts of “leaks” coming from the “White House” suggests to me that many of the Americans working in the White House who are career public servants see Trump for what he is – and, they fear for our nation. They want “we the people” to know the TRUTH about what’s happening inside our nation’s capital. We have a narcissist as president and EVERYTHING is “all about Trump.”
If you saw the video of the cabinet meeting where, one by one, Trump’s cabinet members expressed their “thanks” to Trump for the “blessing” of being able to work for him it wouldn’t surprise you to see the video of the campaign events where Trump had followers raising their hands in a Nazi style “heil” salute of allegiance. Trump was smart enough to “read” the backlash to that strategy, claiming he was unaware of the comparisons to Hitler, and apparently stopped asking crowds for their “allegiance” – but, all I can say is, in the context of everything else Trump has done and said, it didn’t look as if this was innocent to me. It’s certainly clear he expects people to support him no matter what – he really doesn’t like having a constitution which was written to prevent someone like Trump actually gaining a stranglehold on authority in America.
We are in a “constitutional crisis” and it’s up to “we the people” to defend our heritage – the heritage passed down to us via the “greatest generation.” Our fathers and grandfathers who gave/risked their lives to defend the world against the ideology of Trump and his most ardent followers. FDR brought us the “New Deal” where our government (which, by the way, is “we the people”) intervened for working class Americans against a corporate world driven by greed. We’re now in a similar situation (actually, eerily similar) to the 1920’s and Trump is the opposite of what America needs. I “get” the frustration of those in the “blue collar” class who feel “left behind,” but they are mistaken in their trust for Trump. It’s time for the democratic party to wake up and realize they need to open their “doors” to every American – including those who have been sucked into the republican world because of the abortion issue. (more to come on that issue in a later post)